Summertime Trapunto Table Runner

First, we will prepare the fabric for the embroidered blocks. Cut a piece of the solid colored fabric a couple of inches larger than your hoop (we cut our fabric to about 10 1/2 inches wide by 13 inches high). Then, using an air-erase pen or other marking tool, draw a 6 1/2 inch by 6 1/2 inch square in the center of the fabric. Also, mark the center of each side of the shape by measuring and dividing by two. Then, draw lines connecting the marks - where the lines meet is the exact center of the shape.

Next, create a paper template of the design by printing it at full size using embroidery software.

If you don't have embroidery software we recommend Wilcom's Hatch software which comes in different levels depending on what you'd like to use the software for. Hatch Organizer works well to view your designs, print dielines and templates, change design colors, and create basic design layouts. (This is an affiliate link. We may earn commission on purchases made with this link.) 

Poke a hole in the center of the template and align it with the center point on the fabric. Make sure that the design fits well within the shape - there should be at least 3/4 inch space between the outer edges of the design and the edges of the shape.

Remove the template. Then, cut a piece of the lightweight cutaway stabilizer the same size as the fabric. Also, cut a piece of batting to 10 1/2 inches wide by 18 inches high. Next, spray the stabilizer with temporary adhesive and smooth the batting on top with the stabilizer centered in the middle of the batting. Then, spray the batting with adhesive and smooth the fabric on top with the fabric centered in the middle of the batting. The excess batting at the top and bottom of the fabric will be sandwiched between the outer borders later on.

Hoop all three layers together by aligning the marks on the hoop with the lines on the fabric. Attach the hoop to the machine and load the design. Move the hoop so that the needle is directly over the center point on the fabric. Embroider the design.

When the design has finished, trim away the excess stabilizer on the backside of the embroidery. Repeat the fabric marking, hooping, and embroidering process to create a total of eight blocks. Six of the blocks spell out "SUMMER" - we embroidered the  Trapunto Victorian Scroll Alphabet  to create these blocks.

Fold the batting back and cut out the shape - do not trim the batting at this time.

Next we will prepare the fabric for the block borders. For the side border pieces, cut two pieces of the print fabric to 1 1/4 inches wide by 6 1/2 inches high. Align the border pieces on the right and left side of the embroidered piece, right sides together, and pin in place. 

Fold the batting back and sew a 1/4 inch seam along the pinned edges only - do not stitch through the batting.

Fold the border fabric back and press the seams with an iron.

To prepare the fabric for the top and bottom border pieces, cut two pieces of the print fabric to 8 inches wide by 1 1/4 inches high. Align the pieces on the top and bottom of the embroidered piece, right sides together, pin in place, fold the batting back, and sew a 1/4 inch seam along the pinned edges - do not sew through the batting. Press the seams.

Using a straight edge, trim the batting along the side edges of the blocks - do not trim the batting at the top and bottom of the blocks.

Now that all the blocks are prepared, we will add the back fabric and assemble the table runner.

To prepare the back fabric, cut an 8 inch by 8 inch piece for each block. Align the back fabric with the embroidered front piece on the backside of the batting with the right side of the fabric facing out. Pin in place.

Using nylon monofilament thread in the needle and matching thread in the bobbin (match the color of the bobbin thread to the back fabric), quilt through all the layers by sewing along the inner border seams.

To assemble the table runner, align the far left block on top of the next block (the block second from the left), right sides together, fold back the batting, and pin in place. Sew a 1/4 inch seam along the pinned edge only - do no sew through the batting.

Press the seams and then trim off 1/2 inch on one side of the batting so that the batting pieces will butt up against one another in between the blocks.

Overlap the back fabric in between the blocks. Fold the top fabric over 1/4 inch and press.

With needle and thread, sew a seam using a whip stitch starting and stopping 1/2 inch from each outer edge. Then, attach the remaining blocks together by following the same steps as above, working your way from left to right.

To prepare the outer border fabric, cut four pieces of the print fabric to 60 inches wide by 5 1/2 inches high. Then, align two of the pieces with the outer edges of the top fabric, right sides together, and pin in place. Sew a 1/4 inch seam along the pinned edges only. Next, align the remaining two border pieces with the outer edges of the bottom fabric, right sides together, pin in place, and sew a 1/4 inch seam along the pinned edges only. Press the seams.

Lay the fabric and the batting flat and trim off 1/2 inch of the batting around the entire outer edge of the table runner.

Fold the edges of the top fabric around the edges of the batting 1/4 inch and press. Then, fold the edges of the bottom fabric under 1/4 inch and press. Next, pin in place and sew a 1/8 inch seam around the entire outer edge of the table runner.

Your table runner is now complete!